Chronic Sinusitis Doctor

Acute Sinusitis

Acute sinusitis is a bacterial infection of the sinuses lasting longer than 2 weeks (common cold). Symptoms of acute sinusitis are facial pressure, discolored nasal drainage, nasal obstruction, and decreased sense of smell. Treatment of an acute sinus infection usually consists of an oral antibiotic but may also include saline rinses, oral and topical decongestants, and oral or topical steroids. Acute sinus infections that do not respond to several courses of antibiotics or that have severe complications may require endoscopic sinus surgery.

Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common medical diseases in the United States, affecting nearly 30 million Americans. Chronic sinusitis is defined as inflammation of the paranasal sinuses .We are beginning to understand that there is a genetic basis behind chronic sinusitis that may make some individuals more prone to develop the disease, but the development of chronic sinusitis also usually requires an environmental trigger such as allergies or a sinus infection. Inflammation of the sinuses results in obstruction of the narrow natural drainage pathways of the sinuses, which in turn leads to further infection and inflammation of the affected sinus and leads to a vicious cycle. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis include nasal obstruction, facial pressure, runny nose, postnasal drip, and decreased sense of smell. Chronic sinusitis is a chronic condition, often causing symptoms for years or a lifetime. There is no magic cure for chronic sinusitis, but medical, and sometimes surgical, treatments have a great chance of improving patients’ quality of life. Many patients are successfully treated with medical therapy including antibiotics, oral and nasal steroids, oral and nasal antihistamines, and saline rinses. However, those patients that have persistent symptoms despite medical therapy may require endoscopic sinus surgery to control their disease.

The Beverly Hills Sinus Center is known as a center of excellence in Southern California for compassionate care and cutting edge research in the field of nasal and sinus diseases, including chronic and acute sinusitis. Dr. Arthur Wu is a board certified Ear, Nose, & Throat surgeon with special fellowship training in the treatment of nasal, sinus, and skull base diseases. He treats a wide range of problems including nasal allergies, chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, nasal obstruction, sinus and skull base tumors, nasolacrimal duct obstruction (tearing), and exophthalmos (protruding eyes).

Arthur W. Wu, MD, Professional ENT

As the head of our Beverly Hills ENT Center, Dr. Wu has a passion for helping patients with chronic sinusitis. His advanced training has given him the skills to treat the most difficult of sinus cases, and a large volume of his patients are those that have failed medical treatment or had previous unsuccessful sinusitis surgery.

Dr. Wu graduated with honors and distinction from Stanford University with a degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Art History. He earned his medical doctorate from Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina and completed his residency training in Otolaryngology at the University of California, Los Angeles. After finishing his residency training, Dr. Wu completed a fellowship at Harvard in Rhinology – Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery. During his training, Dr. Wu gained specialized experience in the treatment of Acute and Chronic Sinusitis Disorders.